Envinate, Ycoden Daute Isora DO (Canary Islands, Spain) 2020

 Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martínez are four friends who started making wine together after graduating from the University of Miguel Hernandez.  Their winemaking process identifies key vineyard plots with attributes that enable a sustainable and natural winemaking style that can make high quality wines.  Benje’s fruit is sourced from high elevation plots from the northwest of Tenefre, the largest island in the Canary Island chain.  The volcanic soils are known to impose strong sulfur notes into Canary Island wines but Benje counterbalances that with unique canned cranberry, flint, and pencil shaving notes.  The wine style is both nuanced and attention grabbing.  Made from predominantly Mission grapes, Benje is lighter in body but has a nicely balanced structure.  This is a bottle to share with your nerdy wine friends.  Pair Benje with light charcuterie and potato chips.